Ref's call: Blues can stick up for their mates

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Weight off their minds: Blues trio Danny Buderus, Mark Gasnier and
Andrew Johns return to the team hotel after a weights session
yesterday.Photo: Craig Golding

NSW have received a ruling on players becoming involved in
dust-ups during Origin II tomorrow night - shortening the odds of a
fiery showdown with Queensland.

Blues coach Ricky Stuart was incensed Maroons interchange
forward Carl Webb was not sent to the sin bin for rushing in to
jostle prop Luke Bailey during the epic overtime Origin I loss at
Suncorp Stadium three weeks ago.

But since the teams have been back in camp for the rematch at
Telstra Stadium, Stuart and his players have gone quiet on the
issue, second-rower Craig Fitzgibbon yesterday calling it
"crap".

However, referees coach Robert Finch last night told the
Herald the NSW camp had, despite their public silence, asked
for a ruling on what the third man into a dispute could expect.

"There is no rule to say the third man gets sent anywhere,"
Finch said. "I cleared that up with [NSW assistant coach] John
Cartwright. I told him there is no rule, it's an
interpretation."

The interpretation tomorrow night is: "If the player coming in
takes the game out of the referees' control, then he has the option
to use the sin bin."

Finch said Cartwright had also questioned two 20-metre taps and
a penalty from Origin I. Last week Stuart told the Sydney Roosters'
website: "Before game one I was told that the interpretations were
going to be the same as club matches but they weren't."

Last night, Stuart said players were "bored" by the Webb
incident but prop Jason Ryles gave a hint of how they were thinking
after Origin I when he told a luncheon on May 31: "It's different
in State of Origin. You've got to get bodies in. It's weight of
numbers."

Finch's clarification is unlikely to dissuade Ryles and his
forwards, heavily criticised for their performances at Suncorp
Stadium, from that approach.

Yesterday NSW centre Mark Gasnier continued his battle to
overcome a groin injury as the Maroons arrived in Sydney.

Speaking at Sydney airport, Queensland captain Darren Lockyer
said of the melee rule: "I would think we are under the same rules
that we're playing under at NRL level. Third man in is usually the
one who gets penalised."

Asked whether the Origin I game was refereed differently to club
matches, he said: "No, I didn't really notice it."

The Brisbane skipper said the Maroons were expecting more
hard-as-nails play from North Queensland's Webb but added: "He
realises there's a big expectation of him to go out there and be
this big, aggressive person but at the same time he realises he
can't cost us too many penalties."

Referee Steve Clark, the national captain added, "doesn't cop
backchat. That's one thing that I'll be telling my players, just to
keep their mouths shut".

St George Illawarra's Gasnier, meanwhile, last night was rated
by Stuart "a chance but I wouldn't say he's a great chance" of
being fit. He trained on his own yesterday and is now unlikely to
have a fitness test until tomorrow. "If I said he was '50-50' I
would be pretty right," said Stuart, who admitted the St George
Illawarra club had expressed some concern about Gasnier's
welfare.

"I sent [team manager] Craig Young to the game on Sunday to
reassure [the Dragons]," Stuart said. "They should feel comfortable
in regard to Mark. There will be no needles, he will not be under
any pressure to play if he is not fit."

Queensland doctor Roy Saunders said prop Brad Thorn (sternum)
had done everything expected of him and would play.

Asked if lock Chris Flannery (elbow) was in any doubt, team
spokesman Ben Ikin last night said: "Not at this stage."

Stuart, Flannery's club coach at Sydney Roosters, said: "'When
he first was called up I thought he'd be struggling to be fit. But
Flanno is a bloke who can play in a fair bit of pain."

South Sydney's Ashley Harrison last night joined the Maroons in
camp in Parramatta.

Lockyer - who revealed he still suffered from deep bone bruising
to the elbow after a training mishap on the eve of Origin I - said
of the Maroons' winless record in nine games at Telstra Stadium:
"I've won big games there so I don't have this thing where it
haunts me ... there's more pressure on them than there is on
us."

Both teams are expected to train at Telstra Stadium today.

In other news, Cronulla prop Jason Stevens faces a one-match ban
for lifting and Finch said he supported the decision to award
Melbourne a rare penalty try on Sunday.